MOG Editorial Review

While a legendary gospel singer and an indie rock icon aren't a likely duo, Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy manage to defy expectations and make beautiful music on You Are Not Alone. With Tweedy helping with the songwriting and instrumentals, Staples puts her soaring vocals to use on songs that feel both unconventionally spiritual and moving. The title track, for instance, finds her singing over an alt-country sound more appropriate for Wilco, using it as anthem for the lonely people of the world, while "Wrote a Song for Everyone" is the kind of gospel-tinged sound we're more accustomed to with a few tweaks. When an artist tries to reinvent themselves this late in their careers they often forget who they are, but Mavis Staples manages to capture her soulful essence even as she ventures into new territory.